PC Pals Forum

Technical Help & Discussion => Windows PCs & Software: Help, News & Discussion => Topic started by: dcourtneym on August 15, 2008, 18:22

Title: External hard drive
Post by: dcourtneym on August 15, 2008, 18:22

Can I transfer all the data (including the operating system) to an external hard drive.
I have a Sony laptop with a 40gbyte hdd which I like and want to keep.
Probably needs to be mains powered.
Thanks.

Title: Re: External hard drive
Post by: Rik on August 15, 2008, 19:02

You can't transfer the OS as such to a new drive. (I'm assuming you are thinking of running the drive as the boot drive, not just backup?)

Title: Re: External hard drive
Post by: sam on August 15, 2008, 21:24

but you will be able to transfer all of your data...

Title: Re: External hard drive
Post by: dcourtneym on August 18, 2008, 06:31

I appreciate that I can transfer data to an external drive but why not an operating system or is there a simple answer ?

Title: Re: External hard drive
Post by: sam on August 18, 2008, 08:39

well if you just copy the files then it really will mess up, as files will hard linked... though if you were able to clone the disk that might work but I'm not sure how todo that in windows...

Title: Re: External hard drive
Post by: Sandra on August 18, 2008, 11:17

You could clone it but then you would need the laptop to be capable of booting from the external drive.
If it only has a 40 gig drive then I assume thats its quite old and so that would be unlikely.

Programs need to be installed to be able to run from the drive they are on, an OS is just another program, albeit a large one,
Thats why you can copy data to an external drive and use it but any programs would need to be installed.